Letters -- Published Jan. 25, 2013

You have a right to publish whatever you want in your paper, but the Jan. 14 letter "Abortion supporters lucky to be here" has drawn my anger.

You have a right to publish whatever you want in your paper, but the Jan. 14 letter "Abortion supporters lucky to be here" has drawn my anger.

Every anti-abortionist and Republican that I have met and talked to over the past few years has called President Barack Obama the N-word. Before he was elected, one of them even said to me, "Someone should shoot that ... ."

While I don't think abortion is a good idea, I am not a woman, and women must make this decision.

If God wants our souls here, he will put our souls here regardless of what we humans do; in other words, no one but God can end a soul, which God puts into each conception. You do not end a soul by abortion; God can put it right back into another fetus if he chooses.

I am not an Obama supporter, but I think the anti-abortionists spend too much time worrying about other people. They should make the United States better for our poor children. How many foster kids need help?

John Atenson

Stockton

This is a public thank you from TEAM Charter School to Tama Brisbane and her organization With Our Words and Hip Hop Congress for the three student assemblies titled "Hip Hop, You Don't Stop Reading!" presented this month for our students.

Students experienced music, dance, spoken word and rap - all focused on the importance and value of reading. The performances were lively, well organized, engaging and fun! The performers were talented, passionate and professional. Our students were inspired to try their own poetry and storytelling.

At the end of the assemblies, each of our students was given three books to add to their personal libraries. The children were engaged and excited, first by the performances and then by the prospect of bringing new books home to share with their families.

While many of us take for granted homes rich with books and print, this is not the norm for many of the students living in our community.

Kudos to Brisbane for her vision and actions around literacy and equity!

Debbie Eison

Executive director, TEAM Charter School

Stockton

Whenever anyone tries to tell me that people have "lost the spirit of the season," I only need to tell them about the holiday gift drive that my agency, Aspiranet, participates in each year with Starbucks in Stockton.

For four years, we've had the amazing good fortune to impact the lives of thousands of foster youth because of this special partnership that helps collect thousands of gifts at hundreds of Starbucks throughout California. This year, in partnership with nearly 300 Starbucks, we were able to collect and distribute 4,500 gifts for foster youth - a 30 percent increase from the previous year.

What inspires me most are the comments from participants in this gift drive, which reveals not only their kindness and generosity, but how much they are looking for ways to give back.

What also inspires me is the love and care for children I see demonstrated through this gift drive. I couldn't end this letter without emphasizing Aspiranet's most important work: finding loving and caring homes for children in need, particularly older youth and siblings. If you are reading this and are moved to learn more about foster care and adoption, please visit aspiranetheroes.org to learn more about our life-changing work.

JoLyn McMillan

District director, Aspiranet Stockton

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